PART TWO: FROM A JEWISH SECT TO THE BODY OF CHRIST

*  Matthew 16:19 - Jesus said to Peter, "I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven:  and whomsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven:  and whomsoever you shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

*  Acts 1:8 - Jesus said to the eleven, "But you shall receive power, after the Holy Spirit is come upon you:  and you shall be witnesses unto Me in Jerusalem and in all Judaea (Jews), and in Samaria (Samaritans), and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Gentiles)."
    - Jews - Acts 2:14-41 - Peter preaching.
    - Samaritans - Acts 8:14-25 - Peter and John verify salvation of Samaritans.
    - Gentiles - Acts 10:1-48 - Peter verifies salvation of Gentiles.

Based upon the Book of Acts, the Lord's prophecy concerning Peter's validation of Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles, was fulfilled by the tenth chapter of Acts.  Not only was Peter there to verify their salvation, but he did so only after seeing the evidence of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 8:14-17; 10:44-48)!  However, we need to understand that during the events of the first seven chapters of Acts, the Church was composed of only Jews.    

With the salvation of Saul of Tarsus, as recorded in Acts Chapters 9, 22, and 26, the Lord had chosen His replacement for Judas.  Peter had held a "business meeting" instead of waiting for the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:15-26).  Matthias was chosen by the disciples, but God chose Paul to be His Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15 - Note:  According to Revelation 21:14, there are only twelve Apostles).  Paul wrote of his training by the Lord in Galatians 1:11-17; ironically, it was also three years.

With the ministry of Paul to the Gentiles, came a new view of the Church:  it is the "body of Christ" (Rom. 7:4; 1 Cor. 10:16; 12:27; Eph. 4:12).  God had removed the barrier between the Jews and the Gentiles, making them one in Christ (Eph. 2:10-17).  The Church which began on Pentecost, a Jewish Feast that used two loaves of LEAVENED bread (Lev. 23:15-17), one representing the Jewish Christians, and the other representing the Gentile Christians, reveal that born again believers still sin; we will until we become like Jesus (1 Jn. 3:1-2)!

Finally, at the Church Council in Jerusalem (Acts 15), the Church leaders officially accepted that the former Gentiles in the Church were not bound by the Mosaic Law.  The Church Age would be know as the "Age of Grace!"

 

TODAY, WHOSOEVER WILL CALL UPON THE LORD JESUS, WILL BE SAVED!